The ExoMars team at Aberystwyth University has welcomed the UK Space Agency’s renewed backing for the Rosalind Franklin rover mission, a flagship project that will see Europe’s first Mars rover launch in 2028.
Scheduled to land on the Red Planet in 2030, the rover will drill up to two metres beneath the Martian surface to search for signs of past or present life, a capability unmatched by any previous rover.
The UK Space Agency confirmed a £1.7 billion investment package in European Space Agency programmes at the recent Ministerial Council in Bremen, securing continued support for high-profile missions including the Rosalind Franklin rover.
Built in the UK by Airbus, the rover will carry cutting-edge instruments developed by British universities and research teams, including Aberystwyth University’s Enfys infrared spectrometer.
Enfys will work alongside the rover’s PanCam imaging system to identify mineral targets and pinpoint optimal drilling sites. Samples collected will be analysed by an onboard laboratory designed to detect organic compounds and biomarkers – potential indicators of past or present life.
Dr Helen Miles, Operations Software Lead for Enfys at Aberystwyth University, said:
“Aberystwyth University’s role in the Rosalind Franklin Mars rover mission builds on decades of pioneering research in space science and robotics. The UK Space Agency’s renewed commitment to this project is fantastic news – not just for the mission, but for the future of planetary exploration.
“While several rovers have reached Mars, this mission will allow us to explore the planet in ways never done before. For the first time, we will drill deep beneath the Martian surface to search for signs of life, unlocking clues that could transform our understanding of the planet’s history and its potential to support life.
“Being part of the team developing these vital instruments is a privilege, and we’re excited to see Welsh science contributing to one of the most ambitious planetary missions of our time.”
The development and testing of the Enfys instrument is led by Aberystwyth University, in collaboration with partners including Mullard Space Science Laboratory (MSSL) at UCL, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and Qioptiq Ltd.
Aberystwyth University was given greater responsibility for the mission after the cancellation of collaboration with Russia’s Roscosmos following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
